Freight-car seal.



c. E. HRADECKY. FREIGHT CAR SEAL.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 9, I9I4.

11,151,183. V Patented Aug. 24, 1915.

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COLUMBIA PLANDURAPH C0..`WASHIN01.ON. D. C.

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FREIGHT-CAR SEAL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 24, 1915.

Application led September 9, 1914. Serial No. 860,572.

To @ZZ whom it may concern Be it known that I, CHARLES F. HRADEGKY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Fleming, in the county of Logan, State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Freight-Car Seals; and 1 do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in freight car door seals and more particularly to that type of seal known as self locking.

An object of the invention resides in the provision of a car seal. of the above character which is strong and durable in construction, reliable and efiicient in use, and which comprises a minimum number of parts whereby the cost of production will be reduced to the minimum.

With the above and other objects of similar nature in view, the invention consists in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts set forth in and falling within the scope of the appended claim.

1n the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of va car seal constructed in accordance with the invention, Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken longitudinally through the device, Fig. 3 is a similar view taken at right angles to Fig. 2, and Fig. 4 is a plan view of the blank from which the shackle is formed.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, the device comprises, essentially, a shackle 10 and a locking element 11, the latter including a metal cylinder 12, having eX- tending longitudinally from one end thereof a centrally disposed bore 13, this bore terminating short of the other end of the cylinder whereby a suitable recess will be provided. The cylinder 12 is slotted, as at 14, from the end opposite the entrance to said recess for a distance approximately half its length, said slot being so arranged as to communicate with the recess.

Seated within the recess 13 is a locking spring 15, the same being formed from a length of spring steel, one end of which is bent upon itself and terminates in an outwardly directed finger 16 which is normally disposed in such position as to intersect the slot 14.

By referring to Fig. 4 it will be noted that the shackle 10 comprises a thin strip of fieXible material, one end of which is formed with a tongue or extension 17 and an openlng 18 adjacent said tongue. The other end of the shackle is likewise provided with an opening 19 for the purpose to be presently set forth.

In applying the shackle to the cylinder, the tongued end thereof is inserted within the slot 14 with the tongue 17 projecting into the recess 13 and the finger 1G engaging through the opening 1S. There is then placed .in the recess 13 in any preferred manner, a filling 20 of lead or other suitable substance, said filling serving to close the entrance to the recess and surrounding the ends of the spring 15 and tongue 17 whereby to secure the same in their relative positions.

The device is now in readiness to be employed as a seal, this being accomplished by passing the shackle through the hasp on the article to be sealed and inserting the free end thereof into the slot 14, the finger 16 being compressed by the end o-f the shackle to permit of the insertion and again springing to its normal position through the opening 19.

1t is thus apparent by referring to Figs. 2 and 3 that the ends of the shackle are securely locked within the cylinder l2, openlng of the seal being effected only by mutilation of the cylinder or severing the shackle.

That is claimed is:

A car seal comprising a cylinder having a central recess extending from one end thereof and terminating short of its other end, said cylinder being halved longitudinally from the latter end to provide a slot communicating with the recess, a spring seated within the recess, a locking finger at one end of the spring normally intersecting said slot and engaging the closed end of the recess, a shackle having its ends inserted within the slot with the finger engaged in In testimony whereof, I aiiiX lny signaopenings formed therein, a tongue formed at ture, in the presence of tWo Witnesses. an end of the shackle and passing Within y said recess beyond the slot, and a plug clos- CHARLES F' HRADECIXY ing the entrance to said recess and securing Witnesses:

JOHN N. SCUDERs, Y

the spring and tongue in their relative po- Y stions. /VILLIAM F. M. MATHERY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for Afive cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

